Davide
Davide is from Italy. After earning his bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering at Politecnico di Milano, he enrolled in the master's program in Embedded Systems at KTH. Here he then chose the Platforms track. In his free time, he enjoys going to the gym, watching movies, and volunteering at a pub with his friends.
Why did you choose this master's programme at KTH?
When it was time to figure out what to do after graduation, I had a very open scenario, as Electronics Engineering is a broad field with unlimited branches of specialisation. Thanks to a course I took during the first semester of my third year, I became drawn to the digital branch. Therefore, I started researching digital electronics-based master's programmes. I knew I wanted to continue studying in Europe, so I started by checking the rankings of top universities, and that's when I came across KTH for the first time. I opened KTH's website and discovered the Embedded Systems programme, which I immediately knew was the right path. I remember being particularly impressed by the long lists of mandatory and elective courses; many matched my interests. After extended googling and comparisons, I realised KTH offered the best programme course-wise, so I decided to give it a shot; the rest is history.
What are the best aspects of your programme?
I particularly enjoy the structure of the master's curriculum. I come from a solid theoretical background, full of maths and equations, but unfortunately, I lack practice. KTH courses are very practice-based, and the university offers a suitable trade-off between theory and practice. I believe 90% of my studies used VS Code or the same companies' simulation software. Besides, some courses are assessed only by projects or reports, giving you the time to achieve the best solution and avoid exam anxiety.
Have you chosen a specialisation track within the programme?
The Embedded Systems MSc offers three specialisation tracks: Electronics, Platforms, and Software. They all deal with different aspects of the subject but with many connecting points. I find the software extremely thrilling, but my background led me to something more hardware-related. Since I am not a fan of analogue electronics, my decision was easy. The Platform's track deals with many digital electronics, covering many aspects, from ASICs to FPGAs and HDLs to C or Python languages. And it is not even limited to this. You can explore high-performance computing, digital signal processing, and analogue devices. You can find anything to suit your skills and interests in a massive list of electives.
What do you want to do after graduating?
I plan to find a company to write my thesis with so that I can deep-dive into the working world as soon as possible. Hopefully, I will perform well and be offered a job to expand my thesis work after graduation. After talking to various graduates, I've learned how common this path is and how valuable a KTH degree is in Sweden and worldwide. My short-term plan is to gain experience in Sweden, probably in aviation, and later aim for higher leadership positions. My long-cherished dream has always been to work in Silicon Valley; it might be a very long shot, but I'm positive KTH will set me on the right track to achieve this.
How is student life in Stockholm?
Stockholm offers students much, from crazy nights out to chilling in the parks. KTH organises many events during the welcoming weeks to bring students together. I remember joining many of them and having a good time, particularly at the party events at Nymble. Apart from this, ESN – the Erasmus network - is also a great way to make friends, mainly because you find people from different backgrounds and studies, not only from KTH but also from other universities. Most of my friends are enrolled at Stockholm University – I even volunteer at their pub every Thursday! This is what I love about Stockholm: there are no walls among universities, and everyone hangs out with everyone, regardless of their background. Nightlife also includes many clubs in town, mostly playing techno, which is very popular in Sweden. Besides that, student parties occur almost every week, particularly in Campus Lappis. But as it's also important to relax and recharge, there are many parks and beaches where you can have picnics, play football or swim (temperature permitting).
Have you experienced any culture shock?
In Sweden, strong alcoholic beverages can only be sold at Systembolaget, which is a government-owned chain of liquor stores which was first born to cut the usage of alcohol in the country. These stores have limited opening hours and are closed on Sundays. Experiencing a different climate was also surprising. I remember the first snow in October and the last in early May. Also, coming from Italy, a completely dark sky at 3 PM in December or a still bright sky at 1 AM in June was very atypical for me. My culture shock list could go on, but that's the great thing about experiencing life outside of your home country!